Take care in choosing the breed of your child’s first dog. Think of yourself as putting a partnership together where both partners are wild little creatures. You’ll find that some breeds are better with small children than others, even though there’s some variation within breeds based upon a specific parentage.
Some rules of thumb won’t vary. For one thing, it’s a good idea to steer clear of toy breeds altogether. Children are clumsy and don’t know their own strength. Nor do they understand when they’re causing pain. A little boy or girl could seriously hurt a very small dog. Repeated infliction of pain, even by accident, can impede the pet’s socialization to the child.
Try to find an even-tempered breed that’s sturdily built and which characteristically perceives rough-housing as loving playfulness. The English bulldog fits this description perfectly, and makes an excellent buddy for a younger child. They have a wonderful combination of strength and calm.
More important than that, the bulldog can handle it without its calm being ruffled. They share these traits with the bull terrier. Bull terriers have a very high tolerance level when it comes to pain, but are more playful and energetic than the bulldog, and might be more fun for your child as a four-legged buddy.
Sometimes breeds that come with bad reputations are indeed bad choices for children but not for the expected reasons. Doberman Pinschers have that legend of turning on their owners. Actually, they’re likely to be fine with children they’ve been around since they themselves were puppies. However, they’re extremely loyal, and tend to be so to one individual. Any other person, including your child’s little friends, might become seen as threats.
Some breeds are just plain friendly. This would include both the golden and the Labrador retriever, neither of which seems to have a bad bone in its body. Now, however, you enter the territory of dogs who need space and a lot of exercise. Perhaps even more exercise than is likely to be provided by a very small child. They make excellent companions for your grade-schoolers, though.
It is to be assumed that anyone looking for a friend for their children understands that an animal bred to be a guard dog, like a Rottweiler or a Presa Canario, isn’t the most appropriate personal dog for children. Not only are such dogs extremely powerful, beyond what most adults can handle, but they are territorial and independent. This type includes huskies, pit bulls and German Shepherds.
Then there are dogs with peculiarities which place them somewhere in the middle of the pack, so to speak. A collie makes a fine pet if you don’t mind doing more brushing than usual, but they’re herding dogs and might attempt to herd your children as though they were little sheep. Whether that notion appeals to you is best left to your sense of humor. Chihuahuas are full of character. Perhaps too full. In fact, they’re pushy and dominant, and known to take nips at whoever defies their will. All told, it’s best to take your time and study breeds before choosing a dog for your child.
Safe and trustworthy puppy training is something that is taken very seriously. Allow these friendly and experienced specialists to provide the best dog training Kelowna for your dog. Bark Busters in Home Dog Training Toronto, ON (416) 988-3169 +1 866-418-4584

